Benefits of walking

18 Apr 201903:40am IST

18 Apr 201903:40am IST

Some things never go out of fashion. In times when so many people are switching to hitting the gym because that’s the cool thing to do, there are many who still swear by the charm and benefits of a brisk walk

Ashish Kapur, a
wedding planner, and owner of

The Velvet Box Weddings, says, “My work involves so much of
walking around that I never felt the need to do another type of exercise. Do a
wedding at any of the resorts in South Goa and you end up walking around 15
kilometres a day without leaving the venue.” On a more serious note, he adds,
“For me, walking has worked wonders when it comes to keeping fit. There are so
many benefits of walking, the major ones being convenience and being free of
cost. As compared to a gym where I need to spend and be bound by time, I can
walk whenever I have time and obviously it doesn’t cost me a penny.”

So are you planning
to take out those sports shoes, get into exercise mode and keep that brisk walk
going? Studies prove that this fitness regime is way better than gymming or
even running, for that matter.

The fresh air that
you get when you tread for a morning walk is irreplaceable. More and more
studies are showing that a brisk walk is more valuable than running and gymming.
This is not just in regard to being a cheaper option but is also easier on your
joints. While running and gymming are high intensity based workouts that target
muscle groups, studies say it is walking that beats all else.

Scientists have found
that 30 minutes of ‘high impact’ walking is more effective for fighting the
flab than the same time spent on doing weights and pounding the treadmill.

“When living in a
place like Goa, working out behind walls is not something you want to do. With
so much greenery around, a brisk walk in nature is a far more effective workout
then doing any other exercise in the gym,” feels Sunil, a retired businessman.

Walking helps loosen
even the tiniest of muscles in your body without putting too much stress on
your joints. Also, injuries related to walking are negligible whereas heavy
workouts in the gym often result in aches and injuries if not done carefully.

“I had been denied
heavy workouts by the doctor due to my back issue and I walk about 5-6 km daily
to keep myself fit. I feel it is one of the best exercises ever. I never
enjoyed as much in a gym earlier as I love my walks now. I almost look forward
to it every day, because in a gym, we end up doing the same stuff on a daily
basis and it gets monotonous, whereas even though walking is an activity I do
every day, each day is different, the scene, the people you see on the road,
the weather; no two days are same,” says Arvinder Kaur, an entrepreneur.

Even
though you might not get a high-intensity calorie burn, the benefits of walking
are more than one. Experts suggest that one should walk at least five days a
week for a minimum of half an hour. It’s great for overall fitness and in
particularly great for the lungs and the heart and also to keep your muscles
toned. So, did you just take out your walking shoes?